Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared visibly annoyed as reporters clamored to ask him questions during the high-stakes summit with President Donald Trump in Alaska. The meeting, held amid escalating tensions in Ukraine, saw Putin and Trump engage in intense discussions, with neither leader willing to compromise on key issues. Despite the apparent tension, the summit was described as a “very good” meeting, with both leaders expressing a desire to end the war.
Trump, who has faced mounting pressure both domestically and internationally to secure a deal with Putin, remained optimistic about the prospects for peace. He told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that the summit was “extremely productive” and that Putin “wants to see it done.” However, Trump did not disclose the specific sticking points that prevented an agreement.
European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, the UK’s Keir Starmer, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz, praised Trump’s efforts to end the conflict, emphasizing the need for Ukraine to have “ironclad security guarantees.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the summit, expressed hope that further cooperation with Trump could lead to a breakthrough.
Despite the summit’s lack of concrete results, both sides have signaled a willingness to continue negotiations. Zelenskyy, who met with European leaders earlier in the week, is set to meet with Trump in Washington, D.C. on Monday. The two leaders plan to discuss the details of ending the war and the possibility of a trilateral meeting with Putin. However, Putin has shown no interest in such talks, raising concerns about the future of the peace process.